Major Arcana
by Red Shoe Kitty
Summary: A series of 22 short stories, each one based on a card from the Major Arcana of the Tarot deck
1. Chapter 1

**Card 0 – The Fool**

 _ **Description –**_ _ **This card shows a young man setting out upon a journey. He is facing the viewer rather than his direction of travel. He strides confidently into his future unaware he as a the edge of a precipice. His travelling companion, a white cat, is attempting to warn him but the fool is oblivious**_

 _ **Meaning :**_ _ **The Fool is unpredictable and full of surprises. He represents the unlimited potential and spontaneity inherent in every moment. There is a sense that anything goes - nothing is certain or regular. The Fool adds the new and unfamiliar to a situation. The Fool also represents the complete faith that life is good and worthy of trust. He may be seen as too innocent, but his innocence sustains him and brings him joy. He believes in himself and follows his heart.**_

Ianto Jones stood dry mouthed on the pavement. The tall glass skyscraper took his breath away and sent butterflies dancing in his stomach. He could not believe that he was about to start work at the Torchwood Tower, he was going to be a member of Torchwood, albeit as a lowly archivist. His attention was caught by an attractive and shapely woman standing on the traffic island, obviously on her way to the same place as he was. The woman was tall with beautiful mocha skin, she wore a short purple skirt which complemented her skin tone and made Ianto's heart beat just that much faster. A short bespectacled bloke on the other side of the road spotted her and waved a hesitant greeting, 'Hey, Lisa.'

The vision waved back, unenthusiastically, 'Simon'

 _Lisa, her name was Lisa._ The butterflies increased their efforts and Ianto watched breathless as Lisa crossed over and gave Simon an air kiss near his cheek. Ianto felt himself bristle and without thinking stepped off of the kerb to...he wasn't sure what really. Introduce himself to the goddess of Torchwood Tower, punch Simon to the floor or, more likely, trail pathetically in her wake wishing he had the guts to say hello.

A strong arm swept across Ianto's chest and he was pulled sharply backwards as a taxi, its horn blaring, missed him by millimetres. An intoxicating scent surrounded him and a warm breath gusted against his neck.

'Wow, man' a soft American voice, 'that was close. You might want to check the traffic before stepping into the road.'

The near miss had left Ianto shaking and, without thinking, he leaned back against the broad chest of his saviour. The arm across his torso tightened in response and for a micro second Ianto felt safe and protected in a way he never had before.

Reluctantly he pulled himself free and turned to face his rescuer. Bright blue eyes sparkled complementing a bright grin that lit up a very handsome face. 'Bloody hell,' exclaimed Ianto, involuntarily,' is everyone who works at Torchwood fucking gorgeous?'

The grin morphed into something more licentious, 'Why? Who else gorgeous have you met?' The blue gaze swept over Ianto appraisingly, 'I haven't seen you before and believe me I would remember. What's your name, pretty boy?'

Ianto blushed, the man's voice made him feel like he was being touched intimately, 'My name's Jones, Ianto Jones,' he stammered, 'today is my first day.'

'And you have already spotted someone else gorgeous?' the man cocked a well shaped eyebrow, 'you _are_ a fast mover, Mr Jones. Who was it then?' Ianto turned back to look at the entrance to Torchwood Tower. The woman, Lisa, was standing staring curiously at him. 'Oh I see,' said his new friend, 'well, you don't aim low do you? That's Lisa Hallett, the PA to Yvonne Hartman the director. Rumour has it she is as much of a queen bitch as the Rottweiler she works for.' He gave Ianto an admiring look, 'even I wouldn't tap that and I'm...well...me'

'Yeah, who are you exactly?' asked Ianto curiously. He knew he had led a relatively sheltered life up to this point, thanks to his over protective parents, but he had never encountered anyone like the larger than life man before him.

'Jack Harkness,' the man reached out and shook Ianto's hand, 'Captain Jack Harkness, Director of Torchwood Cardiff; where you should be by the sounds of those gorgeous Welsh vowels.' He was still holding Ianto's hand, his thumb brushing gently across the back making Ianto's skin prickle.

With an effort Ianto retrieved his hand and dragged his gaze away from those blues eyes that seemed to hold so much mischief and promise. He glanced at his watch, 'oh ffyc! I'm going to be late'

'Oh' Captain Harkness seemed disappointed, 'I was hoping we could go for coffee. Get to know each other...better.'

For a moment Ianto wavered, the promise in Jack's eyes was something he wanted to explore, just at that moment a slim brown hand appeared on his shoulder and he swung round to stare into the smiling face of Lisa Hallet.

'I'm guessing you must be our latest newbie, Ianto Jones?' she purred. 'I'm Lisa Hallett; you have an appointment with my boss in about ten minutes. She is not very forgiving to people who keep her waiting.'

Ianto glanced at Jack whose face was cold and closed, miles away from the seductive charmer of minutes earlier. Lisa's hand tightened on Ianto's arm, 'come with me Mr Jones, you don't want to screw up on your first day.'

'Speaking to me counts against him as a screw up does it?' Jack Harkness' voice was sharp enough to cut diamonds.

'Oh, I'm absolutely certain it does, Captain' replied Lisa smoothly as she steered Ianto back into the road towards Torchwood Tower. As he stepped off the kerb, towards his new life, Ianto turned back to catch one more glimpse of Jack.

But the Captain had gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Card I – The Magician**

 _ **Description –**_ _ **The Magician is the archetype of the active, masculine principle - the ultimate achiever. He symbolizes the power to tap universal forces and use them for creative purposes. He carries a wand that point heavenwards, whilst his right hand points toward Earth to ground this potent energy. His abilities appear magical at times because his will helps him achieve what seem to be miracles.**_

 _ **Meaning : He represents taking action with a singleness of purpose. He illustrates making what is possible real and the application of will. He is vital, vigorous and energised**_

Ianto sat and sipped his coffee, he pulled a face; _gods that was disgusting._ He caught the eye of his sister, Rhiannon who was working behind the counter, she gave him a hopeful smile and he summoned a supportive grin and a thumbs up. No point in letting her know her coffee was like paint stripper. It was just a shame that the regular barista was off that day because usually this was one of the best coffee shops on Cardiff Bay. He sighed heavily; if rubbish coffee was the worst thing that happened to him on this trip back to his home town then he would count himself blessed.

He gazed sightlessly out of the rain smeared window, he'd had such hopes when he left Cardiff to take up his job at Torchwood London but already he felt as trapped and controlled as he had been when he was living at home with his parents. He sighed again, he loved his job in the archives and he liked most of the people he worked with; his problem, for the first time in his life ever, was his social life; notably his girlfriend.

Lisa Hallett had rescued him from Captain Jack Harkness on his first day on the job. She had told him, in great detail why the Captain was a bad influence, someone to be avoided and an all round liability for an ambitious new member of Torchwood staff. At the end of his first week, Lisa had appeared by his desk and asked him out for a drink and Ianto trying to embrace his new 'London' persona had accepted.

Now it was seven months later and Lisa Hallett was attached to him like mould on a bathroom ceiling. She was everywhere, half her clothes were in his flat, she had arranged for them to share an office and she had virtually taken over every aspect of his life, even to the extent of dictating who he should be friends with and running their social life. He had only managed to escape from her to come home to Cardiff for a week because his Great Aunt Gwyneth had died and he and Rhiannon were executors of the will. He had feared that Lisa would want to accompany him but she had pronounced funerals as 'too dull for words' and taken herself to a spa retreat with three of her female friends.

 _I have to disentangle myself from her,_ thought Ianto to himself, _Captain Harkness was so right – she is a prize bitch._

A shadow fell across the table and a familiar American voice said, 'well, well, well, Ianto Jones. What brings you to my city?

Ianto looked up into those blue eyes that had featured in any number of his dreams and felt a delighted smile spread across his features. He jumped to his feet and held out his hand, 'Captain Harkness, Sir. How good to see you.' Jack had no time for such formalities; he disregarded Ianto's hand and, instead, pulled him into a close embrace.

After what seemed too short a time Jack released him and looked into his face. A small frown appeared on his handsome face, 'Are you OK?' he said, 'you look a lot thinner in the face, like you have lost some weight. Have you been ill?.'

'I've lost a bit' admitted Ianto, 'Lisa thinks I'm too heavy for my height so...'

'Lisa Hallett?' enquired Jack. Ianto nodded miserably, Jack flinched, 'she's not here in Cardiff is she?'

'No. My Great Aunt Gwyneth passed,' explained Ianto, 'funerals aren't Lisa's thing, apparently.'

'Oh Yan,' the warmth and sympathy in Jack's voice wrapped around the younger man like a comforting blanket, 'I am truly sort for your loss.'

Ianto dredged up a small smile, 'thank you Jack. She was an amazing woman, she was 98 when she died and worked her own small farm right up until last year.' he sighed, 'I think selling the last of her sheep was the final straw for her. She just faded away after that.'

There was a short silence then Jack reached across the table and took Ianto's hand, 'the coffee here is dreadful, today, ' he said, 'why don't we go somewhere for dinner and you can tell me all about Great Aunt Gwyneth and maybe also why you are looking so unhappy with life in general.'

Ianto's stomach twisted with excitement, 'I'd love to Jack but I promised to wait for my sister.' He gestured to where Rhiannon was chatting with a chubby young man. She caught Ianto's eye and hurried over.

'Yaaan' Ianto recognised that wheedling tone from their teenage years and sighed, 'what is Rhi?' Rhiannon wound an arm around her brother's neck, 'I know we arranged to have dinner together tonight, it being your last night an' all' she said, 'but Johnny here, has booked us a table at that posh French restaurant down by the monument,'

Ianto grinned and pulled a thick sheaf of notes from his wallet, 'that place is really expensive, Rhi. Better take this to cover the wine bill or something. Make sure you both have a good time.'

Rhiannon hugged her brother tightly, 'thanks Yan you are the best.' Her eyes rested on Jack, bright with curiosity and speculation, 'you and your er...friend...enjoy yourselves too.'

Jack's smile was guileless , 'Oh we will, you can be sure of that.'

* * *

Some five hours later, Ianto's face was aching from smiling so much. Jack was an excellent dinner companion. He had listened attentively as Ianto reminisced about Great Aunt Gwyneth and the fantastic summers he and Rhiannon had spent with her when they were children. Jack had asked the right questions, encouraging Ianto to recall all the good times he and his aunt had shared.

'She was the one who encouraged me to apply for Torchwood,' said Ianto

'Yeah?'

Ianto nodded a little tipsily, 'yeah. She said I was destined for greater things than just working in a coffee shop. She helped me get my degrees.' Jack raised an enquiring eyebrow. 'I have a BA in History and a Masters in Archive Management,' Jack looked impressed.

'How are you enjoying Torchwood One,' he asked

'I love the work,' said Ianto, 'it's so fascinating, every day is different, there is so much to learn and the people are great too.'

'And you pulled Lisa Hallett' said Jack, tipping an imaginary hat in Ianto's direction, 'kudos'

'Yeah' Ianto's face clouded over, 'lucky me'

'Problem?' said Jack.

Ianto told him about how Lisa had virtually stalked him, pushing him to go on dates with her, moving into his flat by stealth, taking over and controlling every aspect of his life. 'I don't even think she likes me that much,' he said to Jack, 'but she won't hear of us breaking up. I did wonder...' he trailed off

'What?'

'It's silly but I did wonder if she is with me because she thinks I know you,' said Ianto with an uncomfortable laugh, 'she asks about you all the time. I told her I only spoke to you on my first day but she doesn't seem to believe me. I just wish...'

'What is it you wish, Ianto?' asked Jack softly.

Ianto sighed, 'I just wish she would go away, you know? Go away and never bother me again.'

Jack grinned, 'well, that's do-able,' he said cheerily, 'go away how? With extreme prejudice?'

'Gods! No!' Ianto was shocked, 'I don't wish her dead, Jack. I just wish...I don't know...that I could wave a magic wand and have her never been in my life,' he laughed, 'I need a magician, not an assassin'

'OK' Jack nodded thoughtfully and changed the subject.

* * *

 **Ten days later**

Lisa Hallett tried hard to conceal her excitement as she followed the smooth Maitre D'hotel across the restaurant to the table where Jack Harkness was waiting for her. She had been working towards this moment from the instant she had seen the newbie, Ianto Jones talking to the notorious Captain Harkness and noted the look in the Captain's eyes. Lisa was an ambitious woman, she wanted Yvonne Hartman's job and she could see that seducing Jack, whose distain for Hartman was legendary, would get her a step close to her goal. She had waited for months to catch the Captain's eye but, as she stood across the street watching the two men interacting on that first day, she suddenly realised that cosying up to Ianto Jones might be much more of a sure thing. Ianto was such an innocent but Lisa had recognised the desire in Jack's face when he looked at Ianto. She chuckled to herself, damn the man's whole body language screamed lust and longing. If Harkness had to get through her to get to Ianto, that would be fine by her; her price would be the Directorship of T1.

She had to admit she had been surprised to get the Captain's phone call suggesting tonight's rendezvous but told herself it had only been a matter of time before he had seen that to get Ianto into his bed he needed her help. She was annoyed that she had flutters of anticipation in her abdomen as she sashayed across the room. _This was strictly business_ , she told herself, a mutually convenient arrangement to be thrashed out to the satisfaction of both parties – Ianto did not figure in her thinking at all.

Despite all her rationalising, her breath caught in her throat when she saw the Captain. Jack had eschewed his usual WWII garb for a sinfully well cut black suit and waistcoat, teamed with a blue shirt that emphasised the sapphire of his eyes. Jack rose politely and waited until she was seated before sitting back down himself.

'Ms Hallett,' he said, 'you look quite lovely.'

'Thank you.'

'Can I offer you some wine?' Jack gestured to the bottle that was already on the table, 'I hope you don't mind but I went ahead and ordered for us,'

'Not at all,' Lisa knew how to be gracious, 'your palate is legendary.' She sipped the wine, it was heavy and a bit dry for her taste and it had a curious metallic after taste but she did not want to appear unsophisticated so she hastily swallowed a third of the glass.

Jack leaned back watching her carefully; a sudden attack of nerves at his scrutiny made her take a further couple of large swallows from her glass. Jack relaxed infinitesimally and smiled, 'shall we get down to business Ms Hallett?'

* * *

 **Two Days after that.**

Ianto's first job every morning, once he had made coffee for the whole of the archive team, was to check his e-mail. This morning there was only one high priority. It read

To :

From : MasterMagician

RE: Your little problem

Our records indicate that you are in a relationship with one Lisa Hallett. This is to inform you that Ms Hallett has transferred from Torchwood 1 to our satellite office in Nevada. Ms Hallett volunteered to attend our Nevada facility to oversee phase three clinical trials of xeno-pharma which is being developed from our alien encounters. One her first day, Ms Hallett was, unfortunately exposed to a large dose of compound ZX-104. Physically Ms Hallett was unharmed but the primary effect of the drug is to remove all memory of her most recent relationships, which Mr Jones means you. Ms Hallett is out your life as if she had never been in it.

You are welcome

Master Magician

When he traced the I.P address, Ianto was unsurprised to find that the e-mail originated from a machine registered to the Director of Torchwood Cardiff.


	3. Chapter 3

**Card II – The High Priestess**

 _ **Description – The High Priestess guards the realm of the unknown and the unconscious. She stands with open posture but remains passive. Her face is turned away from the viewer as if to reinforce her disengagement**_

 _ **Meaning : The High Priestess can represent the passive observation of things as they unravel. She encourages us to look beyond the obvious and trust our intuition in seeking the concealed.**_

Toshiko Sato dealt in absolutes. Tech genius, master programmer and genius mathematician she liked the order and neatness of numbers and code. Numbers didn't lie or hide their meaning; a ten never tried to make you believe it was a seven or tried to pass itself off as a two. Tosh knew that she was not so good at dealing with people. She was shy at the best of times and, if she liked someone she would get so lost in trying to plot their behaviours and motivations that conversation never came easily to her.

Sometimes she wished she could be more like her colleagues at Torchwood Three. Gwen Cooper for example, brash and confident, she was moving through life like a sexual predator. Jack called her the heart of Torchwood but Tosh knew that any heart Gwen chose to show was coldly calculated to manipulate and deceive. She had already had a brief fling with Owen Harper, the T3 medic – eye fucking him first with a scorching gaze that never left him as he moved around the Hub carrying out his duties and then fucking him for real in concealed places around the Hub and at Owen's flat. She didn't care that Tosh knew, wasn't bothered if Tosh stumbled across them breathy and sweaty in the archives or caught the smell of sex on their skins as they walked past her. From the hungry way her eyes followed Jack around the Hub Tosh was sure that Owen would soon find himself sidelined in favour of Captain Harkness.

She could understand Gwen's obsession with Owen. In Tosh's opinion he was the most prefect man she had ever seen. Not conventionally handsome, not conventionally polite either – his cutting remarks had hurt her on more than one occasion – but sometimes he looked so...lost, so grief stricken that Tosh's heart ached for him. And he could be kind, gentle; Tosh remembered a time when Gwen's lack of attention to detail had resulted in Tosh being sprayed with a weak acid type substance that was the defence mechanism of a Thrydd, large crustacean type creature from Humnorb X. Owen had brutally laid into Gwen for her carelessness, pushed Jack unceremoniously out of the med bay and stayed at Toshiko's side for the next 72 hours.

Tosh smiled as she recalled how gently Owen had peeled the acid gel from her skin, carefully washing and oiling the burnt areas. At one point in the process, Owen had asked her why she had pushed Gwen to one side, taking the full attack on herself. Tosh had told him that she had been monitoring interstellar chatter which had highlighted a rogue Thyrdd squadron in the sector and she had then researched their attack patterns. She had recognised that the cornered commander was about to attack and had pulled Gwen back out of the line of fire. She had stumbled forward because Gwen had managed to step heavily on her foot in her stupid stiletto boots. Owen has laughed and called her a bad ass superbrain like Malcolm Merlyn from Arrow, clever but always getting injured and needing care. How he had known that the comic book TV series was one of her gully pleasures Tosh didn't know but it gave her a warm glow to think that she and Owen had something in common that Gwen could not share or try to spoil. He had held her hand and stroked her hair as she slept and applied an alien regeneration cream to her scars every half an hour, caringly wiping away the tears she could not hold back when the pain became too intense. His concern and attention had ensured that Tosh had escaped with no scars at all. When she had tried to thank Owen for the loving attention he had given her, he had placed a soft kiss on her forehead and whispered, 'I will always care for you my little Toshiko but let's keep that a secret between the two of us, shall we?'

In her more fanciful moments, Tosh sometime felt as if she was the guardian of all Torchwood Three's secrets, Gwen's real personality, Owen's caring nurturing side and the enigma that was Jack Harkness.

Jack. Tosh heaved a deep sigh; she owed that man so much, her freedom, her life, her mother's life. She loved him with all her heart and there was nothing she would not do for her Captain. She kept his secrets, the procession of beautiful men and women who she had witnessed staggering drunkenly out of the Hub having been retconned sometime during their nightly shenanigans with Jack often found taxis waiting to take them home courtesy of Tosh. She had also done a quick trawl though the Torchwood records and knew that Jack Harkness had been declared dead countless times over a number of decades. Once her suspicions had been aroused she watched Jack more carefully and noted the times he emerged from an encounter with a hostile alien covered in blood which he insisted was not his own; she had even witnessed his resurrection on a couple of occasions. She didn't know if Jack knew that she knew but it didn't matter she would never reveal what she knew, not even to Jack.

Recently, however, Jack seemed different more...contemplative, softer somehow. He had become even more tactile than before, and Jack had always been an extremely tactile man, but he had developed a tendency to stroke Tosh's hair when he stopped by her work station and to take her hand when he was talking to her. Tosh knew that Jack had been involved in the sudden transfer of Lisa Hallett, the PA to Yvonne Hartman at T1, to Nevada. The tech chatter suggested that Hallett had been 'disappeared and remodelled' from London on the orders of the Captain; something to do with a new recruit in the archives section.

Tosh had found out that if she remained passive and lurked on the dark web chat rooms that Torchwood operatives frequented in flagrant breech of every Torchwood regulation in existence she could often find out what she needed to know without having to raise her head above the parapet. She liked it that way, watching events unfold without her influence. She had seen the name Ianto Jones mentioned as the new recruit whose association with Jack Harkness had led to Lisa Hallettt's close encounter with some xeno-pharma. There were countless speculations as to where Jones fitted into Lisa's transfer, some people thought that Jack had been having an affair with Lisa who had cheated on him with Jones, others said that Lisa and Ianto had been about to start a family together and Jack had 'removed ' her because he was obsessed with the young archivist. None of that rang true with Tosh, Jack wouldn't have a problem being part of a threesome – he would relish it; far from removing Lisa from the equation he would have welcomed her into their bed.

Tosh watched Jack carefully for a few weeks. She quantified his moods and calculated the variables that affected them. He was a lot more appreciative of the Welsh accent than he had ever been before and once she had witnessed his face lit up with delight when a tall dark haired young man in a well cut suit wandered towards them on the Plas only to fall when the man got close enough for his features to be distinguished. Playing a hunch, Tosh pulled up Ianto Jones's personnel file and some CCTV footage from T1 reception and was unsurprised to see that the young man was tall and dark haired and appeared to have a penchant for suits. She was equally unsurprised to find Jack's digital footprint in the files also – it looked as though he was keeping a close eye on Jones.

Ironically, it was Gwen Cooper who clarified things for Tosh. She had come stamping through the Hub swearing the air blue about stroppy, up themselves, archivists who thought they were better than anyone else just because they worked in London and couldn't be arsed to respond to a simple file share request. Jack and Owen were ignoring her so Tosh, in an effort to be friendly asked what had upset her.

'Fucking Ianto, Fucking Jones,' snarled Gwen. Tosh noted that Jack's head snapped up at the name like one of Pavlov's dogs hearing the dinner bell.

'What's the problem,' asked Jack

'I asked the little shit for information on the Tri-axome collective. We picked up an artefact of theirs a week ago. He sat on the request for five days and when I chased it up he told me he was waiting for follow up information from me before actioning the request to avoid unnecessary effort – lazy fucker!'

Jack frowned 'did you specify which Tri-axome collective?'

Gwen looked confused, 'how many are there?'

'At the last count, 23,452.' said Jack levelly

'Oh' said Gwen, 'even so...'

Jack interrupted her, 'I have always found Mr Jones to be extremely helpful and intelligent.' he said, 'if you spoke to him in that disrespectful manner I would suggest that you apologise.'

'But, Jack...'

'I said APLOGISE' roared Jack before turning on his heel and storming off to his office. Tosh watched his face with interest and gave herself a mental high five. Yeah, Jack was definitely smitten.

Gwen didn't even register Tosh as a useful member of the team. Owen called Toshiko Sato a badass super brain, Jack called her the High Priestess of Torchwood Tech. Tosh knew she was the keeper of secrets – the biggest of which was that Jack Harkness was besotted with one Ianto Jones


End file.
